Founded in 1937 by Henry Fletcher as "Lease-a-Radio", Central Equipment Ltd. Factory in Wadsworth Road, Perivale, London NW10, part of which shared with Raymond Radio, building radios mainly for hire with some limited retail sales e.g. through Gamages store, London.  Head office in Liverpool ( Derwent House, 188-192 London Road, tel. ROYAL 6152.) Radios named after Lake District rivers, hence "Derwent." During WW2 utility radios made.

Postwar, company added TV hire to the radio rental business, using a mix of its own and Philips TV's becoming "one of Philips' main retail customers." The company eventually had "Derwent" shops throughout the UK including London, Bristol, Liverpool, Manchester and Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Known still to be trading in 1982, after which probably merged with another major rental firm.

Company logo a globe with the word "Derwent" written across it and around its lower circumference the motto " Puts a girdle round about the Earth." This often found at centre of radio dial.